Local volunteers collect ‘Wheels for the World’
Can you imagine being confined to your bed or having to crawl long dirt roads? If you need a wheelchair and it costs a year’s wages, what else can you do?

Getting a chair means you can go to school or church and it helps family members who have had to lift or drag you around.

A group called “Wheels for the World” is changing that, one wheelchair at a time. They collect used chairs and aluminum walkers, crutches and canes. This national group then transports them to federal prisons where inmates clean, repair, replace parts, and paint to make them “like new.” The chairs are then packed in a crate ready for transport to a third-world country like Haiti, Honduras, Peru, Ghana, Romania, or Poland. About 6,000 chairs were restored last year nationwide, but the need is estimated to be 18 million by the World Health Organization.

Roxanne Boll, of Ida, is the Michigan coordinator.

“We know these will make a difference,” Ms. Boll said. “We’ve talked to people who have seen first hand what it means to families.”

Each shipment of about 600 chairs is accompanied by a team of about 12 volunteers—occupational and physical therapists and seating specialists—who fit each person to a chair that will be best for their needs.

“People in Monroe County have been very generous,” said Ruth Powell, another volunteer. “We’ve sent letters to every church in the county asking them to spread the word about our efforts and we know they have, because we’ve had so many donations.”

“We’re so lucky to live in a country where insurances and Medicare cover these things,” Ms. Powell said. “Volunteers who have gone with shipments have seen victims of land mines with no legs who crawl along paths using their arms. There is a great need.”

“Many people tell us they’ve had unused walkers, canes, wheelchairs, or crutches in their attic and didn’t know where to donate them. Now they know,” said Ms. Powell, smiling.

Anyone with one of these items they are no longer using, may call 734-529-5241; pick-up can be arranged.